Services for child killed Friday

Thursday

Nov 15, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Man remains in custody

Ruth Carr

Services for 18-month-old Jayden Bradds of Clark will be held Friday.The young child was pronounced dead at Moberly Regional Medical Center Sunday morning.He apparently suffered injuries while in the care of Joseph D. Laswell.Laswell remains in the Randolph County Justice Center at Huntsville on a $250,000 cash only bond. Randolph County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Fusselman filed an amended felony complaint Tuesday.Count 1 states the prosecutor upon information and belief charges that the defendant in violation of Section 568 050 RSMo committed the class A felony of abuse of a child punishable upon conviction and that the defendant knowingly struck the infant and in the course caused the infant to suffer serious physical injury.Count 2 alleges that Laswell committed the class C felony of domestic assault in the second degree, causing serious physical injury to the infant by striking him or causing his head to strike an object and that the baby and defendant were family or household members in that the baby and defendant resides together and/or the mother of Jayden and defendant were in a continuing social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.Laswell was arraigned Tuesday afternoon before Judge Cynthia Suter and will appear again in court at 1:30 p.m. Monday for a counsel status. As reported earlier, it was about 9 a.m. Sunday when the Randolph County Sheriff's Department went to MRMC according to court documents. The infant had been pronounced dead upon arrival of officers.According to the probable case statement, it is reported that visible injuries included several recent bruises and abrasions across the forehead and an abrasion near his eyes according to court documents. Older bruises also were seen on the child's back and hips.Laswell was the last person to see the infant alive Saturday. He told investigators the child tripped over a toy and struck his head on a table, but that story changed. Court documents reveal he admitted to becoming upset when the child picked up his cell phone and responded by pushing the child, causing him to hit his head on the floor. Investigators report that Laswell said he had spanked the child and purposefully dropped his cell phone on the child's forehead.A Child Death review will be held Friday at 9 a.m. at Moberly Police Station. Prosector Fusselman will be in charge with assistance from Coroner Gerald Luntsford. This is a closed review and it is expected some information may be released after the review. Coroner Luntsford was called at 9:25 a.m. Sunday to MRMC. He reports he viewed the body and then ordered an autopsy. Also on the scene was Cpl. Taylor, an investigator for the sheriff's department. The law officials turned the investigation over to the Drug and Control Unit of the Missouri Highway Patrol and shortly afterwards, Sgt. Steven V. Willhoite arrived on the scene. Coroner Luntsford took the baby's body to Medical Examiners Office at University Hospital in Columbia and he and Sgt. Willhoite were there for the autopsy.Results of the autopsy will be released in about four to six weeks. Because of the ongoing investigation, additional information cannot be released. Services for the infant will be held at Million and Taylor Funeral Home in Moberly and burial will follow at Hagar Cemetery.